The Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, has confirmed a significant increase in paid paternity leave for police officers in England and Wales. The new policy doubles the length of leave from one to two weeks, aiming to better support officers who wish to spend more time with their families after the arrival of a child.
This change comes in response to concerns that police officers faced mockery and ostracism for taking time off to care for their newborns. Birmingham MP Shabana Mahmood spearheaded the initiative, ensuring that all forces across the country provide the extended parental and adoption leave.
Policing Minister Sarah Jones highlighted the importance of the move, stating to The Guardian: “Police officers work tirelessly to protect the public, so it is right that new fathers are better supported to spend time with their families. By expanding police paternity leave, we are recognising the importance of family life.”
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Alongside this development, Conservative Party peer Joanna Penn has introduced an amendment to the armed forces bill, which would triple paternity leave for military personnel to six weeks. Penn emphasised the demands placed on military families and expressed that providing new fathers with sufficient time to support their partners and bond with their children is essential.
Joel Brady, a police inspector involved in the campaign, welcomed the change, saying it offers thousands of police fathers “precious time” with their babies. He described the policy update as a “massively positive step” and expressed hope that the government would further extend leave allowances for all fathers in the service.
George Gabriel, co-founder of The Dad Shift, noted societal progress, commenting, “Times are changing. This is the most active generation of dads there’s ever been and momentum is clearly building across the public sector for better paternity leave.” He added that if Andy Burnham’s government aims to address cost of living concerns, supporting working families during critical moments such as welcoming a new child is a meaningful way to demonstrate this commitment, especially as the government’s review of parental leave is expected later this year.